Grow out pen-this too small?

[hokankai]

Not 3sq feet for chicks, but 3 sq ft for juveniles and they WILL grow and use all of that space. You're going to have to hold onto those chicks until EVERYONE's the same size, unless you want those little ones to be picked on. So yes, 3 sq feet of interior space per bird since 4sq ft is the minimum for adults. If you think about it, it's only a 3ftx3ft dog house...which isn't very big at all

And honestly I would just return it. That thing is going to last you at most 2-3 weeks before those babies are itching to get out of there.

 

[2hot2chicken]

I got an idea for you.....
Since you got that little thing for so cheap if you are not affraid to modify it, then take some plywood and cut it to cover the whole thing (A Frame). and make a door in the end. Then your inside space for them is covered. That should be more than enough inside room for them even if its not the 3sqft per bird. It just temporary and not like they will be in it for very long at all. And since they will be able to go in and out as they please they will not be confined to the small indoor area. Then you will just need some chicken wire/cloth to partition off an area in your current run for outdoor space for them. A staple gun works well and its not like it has to be preditor proof since it will be in your existing run already. Just enough to hold up against a little pressure from the birds is all.

Good Luck

 

[hokankai]

Quote:
That's not a bad idea either. Just turn your little pen into an A-frame coop thing and then pen off an area in your run. Although once they start getting big it's going to be tight and short. Might be better off just building your own A-frame that's bigger and taller, but you don't want to do that